Le beau bête
by Sleepy Wallflower
Summary: Trying to perfect my version of beauty and the beast. Actively looking for criticism. Apologies in advance. Hopefully not some clichė.
1. Chapter 1

"Years ago," The old woman started, "Not quite far away from here was where our story took place. In a kingdom quite close by, now abandoned, not a soul to be seen."

She paused as she looked over the eager faces of the children. They were her grandchildren and had been left with her for the evening. There was no greater joy to her than to see the beaming faces of her grandchildren and eager eyes with pleading expressions, begging her to continue with the story.

As the last of them settled down she smiled with her thin lips, it was a gentle, loving smile, one that crinkled the edges of her eyes and straightened out the wrinkles on her cheeks.

"The old abandoned kingdom used to bustle with life," She continued, eyes glimmering as a picture formed in the minds of all that were present. The gift that she had was to mesmerize one with her tales and they were starting to take effect. " In the large castle where the King and Queen lived, there were cooks in the kitchen that made the most wonderful meals, one whiff and you simply had to have a bite! There were beautiful maids in black dresses and white aprons skittering around with dusters and rags in hand making sure all that you saw sparkled and the servants around the house left the occupants wanting for nothing. It was bright and cheery. Sunlight streamed through the large windows and warmed the house.

That day in particular everyone was extra busy, for the queen was in her chambers giving birth to an heir. It was to be their first child and the king was as excited as he was nervous, pacing up and down the hall in front of his wife's room. He worried for her health and longed to hold his family in his arms. On occasion he would follow one of the maids that was passing by asking several questions about the arrangements being made for the celebration that very night. There was to be a big feast in honor of the new heir, whether it was to be a prince or a princess.

After hours of pacing, he had tired himself out and was seated beside the large doors to his Queen's room. Beside him stood his 2 faithful servants, Shawn and Pièrre. Once in a while Piérre would poke fun at the king or make a joke with the intention of lightening the tension that hung in the air. Even if it wasn't received with best reception he still kept at it, for that was his nature. Shawn on the other hand was quiet and would only glower at his comrade when he made jokes, for that was his own nature. The King was acting rather uncharacteristically, for he always kept himself composed in front of his subjects. The man that was sitting on the floor with his disheveled hair in his hands only looked like their King. He certainly didn't act it.

Finally, when the sun was about to hide itself behind the edge of the earth and the candles and lamps were burning bright in the halls, the very door that the King sat by was opened. One by one the midwives filed out as he pulled himself to his feet. There were 8 in total that left the room and two more that left the room when the King stepped in. Piérre and Shawn were left outside, although they did not stand there but left to prepare the King's bath and clothes for the coming feast.

The Queen's room was dimly lit and the air had a strange smell. The King walked slowly toward his wife, who, despite her hair and tired face still managed to look beautiful in the dim lighting. She looked up at him from the bundle of blankets that were being held gingerly in her arms and she smiled. It was a happy smile, tired looking, but happy nonetheless. He stood beside her and had scarcely seen the baby before she whispered to him, " It's a boy."

The King leaned in and examined the face of his son all the while smiling at his fortune. The infant's face was a bright red from crying and squeezed into a grimace. His eyes were not yet open and he had a tuft of golden hair growing from his head. He tentatively reached his hand and brushed his son's cheek.

"Hello there," he whispered, as if he was afraid to frighten him.

"He looks just like you." His wife whispered, savoring his reaction. Her husband was on the verge of tears looking just as happy as she imagined he would be. As a man and the king, he refused to allow himself to shed tears, it might have been an exception but he refused to take the chance. They had been trying for quite a while. His kingdom had come alive with rumors that he was sterile or that his wife was the one who couldn't bear a child. There was even some debate as to who would be the heir once he died, since, they could not produce. The queen had several miscarriages that were all kept hidden and those who knew were those it concerned directly.

"I have to go get ready," He whispered to his wife. "You don't have to come." The pad of his thumb was brushing lightly against her cheeks as he examined her. Even with fiery red hair that was rather messy and large green eyes that were surrounded by dark circles, she had never looked more beautiful to him. She smiled at him.

"I wouldn't miss if for the world."

The king kissed her sweat-coated forehead lightly before rushing out of the room to ready himself for tonight's events. The workers had become sparse and he only passed about 2 on his way back to his wing. He walked briskly, rather excited but trying not to show it. He would show off his son proudly, a healthy boy too nonetheless. With a contented sigh he burst though the door to his wing and was accosted by several of his men all eager to dress him.

The prince grew up to be very handsome of course with a rather mischievous streak. He had already started breaking girls' hearts at his young age of eight. Unfortunately, living in the palace and encountering many problem-ridden subjects he became rather unkind. Rather ironic but so it was. There were those who would lie just to get something from the treasury and there were those who would steal just to feel like they had more. His father was rather soft on them, the young prince thought. His opinions were confirmed when he was 10 one of his valets had almost kidnapped him. Once caught, the man was prosecuted and despite being very much guilty, he got a lighter sentence than the prince thought he deserved.

It would be several years till he would be allowed the throne and the prince became very wayward and unruly. In his own mind, he would inflict onto them what his father failed to. He had not been disciplined enough it seemed, neither parent wanting to distress their only child. The king and Queen were kind people and carried them selves with an air of respect. Their was son was unruly and had bedded and raped many a female before he was eighteen."

The old woman surveyed her audience. There were droopy eyes all round with one or two of them still bright-eyed. Perhaps it was wrong of her to mention rape. No matter. She cleared her throat and adjusted herself in her rocking chair.

"And then what grand mother?" One of them piped.

"Oh don't stop now Nan," Another protested.

"Oh quiet down, I'm not finished yet little ones." Their grand mother pulled the large quilt that she had sown for them over their tiny bodies and tucked it under their chins. She settled back down and her wooden chair rocked back and forth gently.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes." She cleared her throat again. " Through out the kingdom everyone associated the prince with a bad name. His future subjects thought him no better than an uncultured swine. A lot of the women he bedded didn't mind, for he was handsome and a generous lover. Those that had preferred to preserve themselves were taken by force, though most ended up liking it, a lot of them were miserable, for no man would ever want them.

In addition he was cruel and wicked. He paid no mind to the sate of poverty that his future kingdom was. The prince thought they deserved it for not working harder and he increased taxes, justifying it with their empty treasury. It was images of the poor that came to beg for helping the kingdom that motivated him. If they needed help then they would with their own money. It would be two years before he took the throne. Once he had taken it, he ruled with an iron fist. His first priority was to conquer more and more of his surrounding kingdoms. As a result he was on his way to building an empire.

Despite the advice of the old king, he continued to spend more and more on armies and feasts and balls and women. The villages that surrounded the kingdom were alive and beautiful. Against the dark night sky they glowed with lights and there was always music floating into the ears of visitors. Outside of that was disastrous, there were people starving and the men were working and making just enough to pay the taxes, meaning families were starving. The once long line of subjects had dwindled and sometime later disappeared completely. It was announced to them that the treasury was empty.

It pained the old king to see the son he was once proud of tear his beloved kingdom apart. The people were suffering but his son's heart was hard, even against his pleas.

"Quiet before I throw you out old man," He had shouted at his father every time the old man had come to talk to him. It was hopeless.

When the prince was still young, a lad of 25, he lost his parents. It was an armed robbery; they were common as a result of the poverty in the kingdom. They had been returning from a neighboring kingdom trying to control the situation that their son was throwing their beloved home into. Their heads were severed; it was out of spite that the robbers had done it, a small victory to them. A lot of the kingdom had mourned but there were those that celebrated; it was something to hurt the young king. The authority was truly hated, specifically the prince. The criminals were caught and dealt with cruelly. Words like pain and torture were reinvented in the minds of these killers, the prince refused to kill them.

"You're a beast!" One of them had shouted after him, drool and blood spilling out of his mouth. The man's face was a mess of swollen purple bruises.

"I like that," The prince retorted. "You my friend are very creative."

His leg was severed the next day.

The robbers were not crowned as heroes, for the prince was even worse. Driven with rage and sadness, he became the very definition of a beast. Savage became another synonym for his name. There were less celebrations and more fighting, there were more mercenaries and soldiers doing whatever it was they wanted in the villages. There were more men being taken to join the fights, this forced the women to work hard in order to fill the gaping holes that was left behind by their men.

It was a depressing time.

The prince however was not aware of the dark magic that was being practiced in his lands. It was very rare but its presence was still feared. There were still those among the occupants of the kingdom that made pacts with the devil. Magic was more desired and witches were often visited. One unfortunate day the prince encountered a witch. She was dressed as an old woman, hunched over with her face covered by a dirty grey shawl. The king's men were not entirely heartless and on her insistence they let her into the palace to see the king.

"I was just passing," she had told him as he sat on his throne. "I'm in need of some shelter, my daughter and I."

Behind her was indeed a young girl of about sixteen. Her hair was an odd color of pink and her eyes were large and green peering innocently at the prince. A smirk found itself onto his lips.

"I will have your daughter for the night." Said the prince. " I will have her anyway, if you disagree you simply won't be given shelter."

"Your highness, she's a virgin." The old woman pulled her daughter closer. "Please sir, have some mercy."

"You think I don't know she's a virgin?" With a flick of his wrist the old woman was whisked away all the while resisting.

"You can't do this," she was yelling.

"I'll do what I please."

She was thrown onto the garden that was situated at the front gates of the castle. Her shawl slipped off and revealed pink hair. The woman looked around her and spotted a part of the garden that was decorated with orange roses. It was a color she had never seen and thought it fitting to be a lifeline.

"You will surely regret your beastly behavior my king."

That night in his chambers, the young girl who had cowered in the corner suddenly rose. Eyes blazing, stance solid, she began to recite.

 _Your cruelty and savagery that knows no bounds,_

 _Tainting even your very beauty._

 _You will live with the stain like a hound._

 _Until you think your self less of a deity._

An orange rose was produced from thin air. It floated unhinged by anything. The witch's eyes glowed bright and it scared the young king, if he was being completely honest. The rose was also alight and there were sharp cracks of thunder resounding outside. The wind was blowing hard outside and he could hear it hissing as it brushed several things outside.

"Silence," He said with more courage than he felt, he had to do something.

"A fitting lifeline for your beauty." Her voice sounded otherworldly. The man found himself taking a step back.

 _Once the petals begin to wither,_

 _You will find yourself in a spiral,_

 _Once the last petal falls,_

 _You will become what you are,_

 _A beast._

 _Nighttime will become your reprieve._

 _Feel the pain that you caused all around_

 _Release that which had tainted your soul_

 _And rest assured that no beauty will cover you ugliness._

There was another crack of thunder, this time followed by lightening. So bright was it that the young king shielded his eyes to avoid being blinded. Once his arms dropped, she was gone. On the floor lay the orange rose that floated in front of her. He sneered at it.

"Probably not worth the trouble." He murmured to himself.

There was a knock on the door. At his beckoning a large man that was guarding his doors entered. No sooner had he entered however, than he started recoiling, running back the way he came.

"What is it?" The king growled. This strange sound grew from his chest and it surprised even him. He looked down at his hands, nay; in place of them were paws, large paws with black claws. Somehow he didn't have pads but something akin to palms and his fingers were barely visible beneath the fur. Across the room he eyes the mirror and couldn't help but let out a surprised gasp. His face was ugly and hairy. It was distorted in such a way that made him look angry. Gone were his long golden locks replace with pointy ears. His jaw was still set and strong but he had some sort of snout, he looked like a beast, a terrifying beast. There was a loud howl and then a growl.

Anger filled him, and he found himself roaring. That witch would pay! She would with her dear life. He tore down doors with his now larger frame, everyone who saw him ran from him, refusing to take any order for fear of their life. The kingdom was sparsely populated now. Soon enough, it was empty. The maids stopped bustling and the valets were long gone. There were no guards at doors, nothing; a lifeless palace was all that was left behind. After searching the kingdom and realizing this, the king's anger became sadness. He found himself in the throne room; shoulders slouched as he stared at his throne. It meant nothing now, there was no one. Never in his life had someone run from him. He never realized that his looks meant that much.

The gold shone from the seat and he stared at his sad blue eyes, they were the only thing he had been allowed to keep. They were his father's eyes, dazzling, mesmerizing, like cut sapphires. The king covered his face, ashamed of how he looked and distressed at the reminder that was left behind. Now that he was truly a beast he didn't want anyone actually seeing him. That witch had ruined him.

He ran back to his room, remembering the incident when she had cast the spell. Words ran through his head and the spell it self was pieced back together. There on the floor in his chambers lay the orange rose. It was vibrant, every bit as beautiful as he thought it would be when he asked someone to plant them. For the first time in his life, the king sat on the floor and cried.

For years after that he chased away anyone that dared set foot in his territory. His empire had diminished and a forest grew, thick and green that surrounded the palace in place of the village. There have been many men who have ventured and never returned, suspected to have been hunted and to this day you can still here the sad howls of the beast longing for something true"

Soft snores met her ears and she smiled at here grand children. All of them except one were asleep. The oldest of them was just barely awake.

"Was he left all alone Nan?" She asked in a low voice. It could have been as a result of her drowsiness or her attempt not to wake her siblings.

"Oh, no. The most loyal of his servants were trapped with him. They were unable to leave the palace, forced into serving him. They were being punished for being docile while their people suffered."

The old woman sighed as her last grandchild embraced the darkness that sleep offered. Her eyes fluttered closed as her Nan watched. It was getting late and she had to get to work herself at dawn. She stood up slowly and blew out the single candle that lit the room letting darkness fall in the small room.


	2. Chapter 2

_A.N: Thank you for all your reviews. I encourage everyone to be more thorough in their criticisms. For those asking if the title was deliberate the answer is yes. I speak basic French and I know 'Le beau bête' means 'The handsome/beautiful beast' for males specifically. I also know what 'The beauty and the beast' means in French. Thank you for your concern. I am open to changing the title if the oxymoron is lost in translation._

As soon as the sunrays could be seen from the edge of the hills and the cocks were announcing its arrival several inhabitants from _Petite ville,_ a small village nestled between the vast cities and the king's palace, would have already been on their way to work. By dawn no one would dare be on their beds and the cobbled streets of the small village would be packed with people going to their respective shops, some of course would just be passing, by greeting the owners of shops that were already opened, on their way to the palace. A lot of the people in the small village worked in the palace. There were young maidens and strong men all beginning their short journey to the castle that loomed ahead.

One such worker was Hinata Hyuga. She was not in the midst of the journeying servants, maids, stable boys and whatnot. She has her nose buried in a book at the local bookstore. It was a small place filled with shelves that were then filled with books of different genres. What it lacked in size it made up for in its ability to provide just about any book needed. The owner of the bookstore was an old man not quite crippled with age but who had wrinkles that told of his experience in the world. He was a kind man and let Hinata read the books she liked without purchasing. The old man and the young woman shared between them a love for the written word. Even that morning she was there as soon as he opened shop. The young woman sat in the corner immersed in her book. It was some of Aristotle's works, she liked to read all kinds of books and even occasionally digested romance books. The shop owner was seated behind his small counter also immersed in a book. The atmosphere was warm and silent, not needing any conversation to make it perfect.

So taken was she with her book that she didn't realize the sun had risen. It was to be her first day at the palace; having been recruited by one of the head maids that occasionally came to recruit young women. Her early mornings were spent in the corner of Ichiraku's bookstore reading to her heart's content. All her allowance went into buying her favorite books from the same man. It was one of the only ways she knew to compensate him for his kindness. Several books had been given to her for free as well. They shared a very strong mutual adoration that could some how be felt in the air while they read silently in their respective windows.

Once the sun had finished revealing it self, it sent its rays through the window and onto the pages of Hinata's book, almost as if to tell her that she was late for work. The maiden looked up from her book and turned her face to the window as if to scold the source of disturbance. Looking around however, she realize that she was late for her first day.

"Oh my god, I have to go," She said, rising frantically. Hinata rushed to the door dropping her book on Ichiraku's counter as she passed. "I'll see you later."

Hinata ran all the way to the palace, only stopping once she arrived at the large backdoor that lead to the kitchen. She bent at the waist and put her hands on her knees attempting to catch her breath. Her pants eventually subsided and she made her way to the doors, trying not to waste anymore time. As slowly and carefully as she could, Hinata pushed open the doors and poked her head in. The kitchen was large but still managed to be rowdy. The cooks were Kneading dough and whisking eggs for the Family's breakfast. She wouldn't be surprised if none of them had woken. Quietly, she slid her body through the gap she allowed herself an closed the door behind her. As an after thought, Hinata smoothed out her white apron that was she wore over her black uniform. The girl had every intention of coming in early when she left her house that morning but it seemed she just couldn't keep up.

"You there!"

Hinata turned to find a stern looking woman glaring at her as she approached. " What exactly are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," Hinata squeaked, knowing she was caught. She was the only one dressed as she, meaning that wasn't where she was supposed to go. Thankfully no one even bothered to look in their direction. It was as if this was some daily occurrence.

"You're late." The woman stated as she came to halt in front of Hinata, hands on her waist.

"Yes, I'm terribly sorry. I lost track of time but I promise this is the last time it will ever happen." Her voice was very soft and it seemed to have no impact on the woman that stood before her.

"Yes well follow me and don't waste anymore time. I'm going to keep you here until you learn that tardiness is an unacceptable offense." She turned on her heel and walked towards a large set of doors (All the doors seemed to be large if she was honest). Hinata merely nodded and scurried after her.

The room that met her eyes sharply contrasted with the dull grey stonewalls of the kitchen. The floor was lined with a red carpet that seemed to go on forever. Banners were hung on the walls and they almost seemed to glow with their vibrant colours. Curtains were held up to let the sunlight stream through and give the place a sort of warm radiance. The maid examined her surroundings as they walked admiring the ornaments she saw. Not that they were that exquisite, simply because they were a thing of luxury, one that she may never be able to afford no matter how hard she worked. The stern looking woman lead her to a large room that was clearly used as a dining hall for the king and his guests. Hinata had already begun to imagine the dinners in her head. The way the hall would be lit with candles and the large chandelier in the middle of the room shedding it's light on the smiling faces of the men and the coy faces of the women as they ate and drank to their hearts content. At the moment the room was a mess. Although the dishes had been cleared out, there was food all over the large table and the floor. She could see puddles of wine that reflected the sunlight that streamed through the windows. Two of her colleagues were trying to sweep the mess away, each with brooms in their hands and cloths in their aprons.

"You will clean this room with lemons, I wasn't it smelling as fresh as it was when you are done," The woman said. It wasn't the dining hall she was referring to but a smaller room nestled in the corner of it. They stood in front of the door and when it was opened Hinata forced herself not to get sick. There was no food in her stomach anyway. "There are lemons in that corner, good luck."

With that she was left alone with the suspicion that it was simply to escape the smell that the woman had left. The room was a bathroom, a large hole was situated in the middle where people would do their business. Of course it seemed that business was done anywhere but the hole. It was rather large the room and in corners of it she could still see puddles of sick that had been left behind by the guests that attended yesterday. Hinata would have sighed if she didn't think the smell would kill her, the two other girls simply giggled when she went to fetch the things she needed to make it spotless.

The king was not to have guests over that morning and so the hall remained empty once the maids were done cleaning. Hinata had fetched some water in a bucket and was scrubbing her body where the servants usually had their baths. She felt absolutely filthy after cleaning out that latrine. It was spotless now with a nice lemony smell but she felt as if the dirt was now on her. Once she was done she made her way to the kitchens and saw her colleagues leaving in a single file. The sun was almost overhead now and it seemed that she had missed breakfast. Her stomach let out a small growl of protest as if to chastise her for doing so. She placed a hand on her tummy and quickly followed the other maids.

Her has was still damp and she didn't think to restrain it, instead she let it fall around her shoulders and her back. She joined the line of maids that stood shoulder to shoulder in the hall that she had gone through earlier. The stern looking woman was addressing them, giving out duties to each of the maids, it erased the doubt in Hinata's head about her being the head maid. A disapproving look appeared on her face once Hinata was to be addressed. It was made clear that her damp her was something she approved of. She found herself unconsciously running a hand over her damp hair.

"I am putting you in charge of the latrines and the young prince's room," The woman said. She had her nose in the air and it was clear she thought herself better than anyone of them. "Only when he is not in his room are you permitted there. And if you dare steal…"

Hinata nodded and before she could speak the woman had moved on. Her dislike for Hinata was obvious and the girl felt like she couldn't be blamed after all, she had been late for her first day of work to the palace. She accepted her fate with a small sigh and got her broom and mop and a bowl of lemon juice. The bathrooms and latrines upstairs were not as bad as the one she encountered in the dining hall. On her way to clean the second latrine she ran into a young man with raven black hair shaped in an odd style it was held by an almost invisible hand. His eyes betrayed that he had woken up not long ago and she was sure the sun was high above their heads by now. As soon as she saw him she forced her eyes down and she curtsied. The unfortunate moment she decided to steal a glance was also the moment his eyes landed on her. Their eyes met and she quickly turned her to the floor, her cheeks heating up. She felt him as he walked by but when she looked to watch his retreating back she found her self looking into eyes so dark brown that they looked black. The man was smiling at her and she couldn't help but think about how handsome he was.

"Hello." He said.

Hinata opened her mouth and closed it. The next tome she opened it she stuttered a 'good morning'.

Still with a smile her asked her who she was. The question confused her and her heart was threatening to burst at the rate with which it beat. "Nobody," Was the answer that she settled for. It was clear to anyone that she worked here.

"Will you tell me your name at least?"

"Hinata Hyuga my Lord."

"I am Sasuke."

Hinata only nodded. The man looked at her as if she was supposed to know who he was, perhaps even to be impressed by him. Everyone in the kingdom knew Sasuske, he was one of the Uchiha brothers, the prince of the kingdom. At that moment however she was more afraid than impressed. What had she done to prompt this reponse. She did not look up from the red carpet in the hall. Her arm were starting to tire from holding her broom and bucket and mop.

"Well I suppose I will be seeing you then."

Hinata did not look up until he had turned the corner. She let out a breath and leaned her back against the wall closest to her. Was he going to tell the head maid that she had run into him? She was certain they were not supposed to meet especially with such things as she was holding. Her hair was damp as well, she shook her head. No, it had dried and she was sure what was on her head looked even worse when it had dried without the aid of a comb. She groaned and put down her cleaning utensils. Only when her hair was tightly packed into a braid did she continue down the hall. At least her hair didn't resemble some sort of nest now, if she was to run into anyone else. Hinata felt her heart skip a beat when she remembered that cleaning Sasuke's room was one of her duties. She sighed again.

Sasuke strolled into the throne room where the King had just dismissed a thin man with a head full of grey hair. His complexion told everyone that he worked outside, probably a farmer.

"What is it?" He asked the King once the room was empty (The King's guards stood on each side of him by the throne).

"I was thinking of visiting the countryside and I thought you should come along."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. His brother always tried to involve him in the business of the Kingdom. Frankly he didn't care much for it. The old King was still alive and he felt as detached to throne as if he was simply a random villager.

"I don't want to."

"It would be nice."

Sasuke stood the examining his brothers face and Itachi sat the doing the same. Both of them were very alike, cold and calculating. The were studying the situation probably. Sasuke knew Itachi would not simply let it go and Itachi knew Sasuke would not go without insistence. Neither would back down.

"I have no reason to go." Sasuske said finally.

"You're the next heir, after me, of course you should be involved as much as possible."

"But I don't think you'll let yourself die that easily."

There was another silence.

"Then at least ride with me to the edge of the village."

"Why?"

They both knew why however and Itachi simply pursed his lips. "Because I asked."

"I like my reputation mind you."

"It's not about what you like."

Sasuke nodded. "After lunch we'll go."

"Join me for dinner then."

Sasuke nodded again. That brought and end to their conversation. He knew exactly what Itachi was trying to do. It was probably in the best interests of their kingdom but Sasuke simply had no empathy. He was a rather detached person. Now however he found himself very attached to the image of that maid. Hinata. She was beautiful, he thought. Never before had someone made him do a double take as he had done earlier in the hall. Her eyes had mesmerized him they were large and pale and surrounded by thick long lashes. When her eyes were downcast he had moved his attentions to her plump red lips and then her body. He could not enjoy what her body had to offer through the loose dress that she wore so instead he returned his eyes to her lips and the her eyes whenever he caught her looking up. The sunlight seemed to make her glow but he felt that the moonlight would have done more to make her enchanting. Her hair was a dark black that curled all around her face. More than once he had to stop himself from reaching for strands of her hair. This action resulted in only a twitch from his fingers.

The prince found himself walking back upstairs. There was to be a small family lunch and he knew this. If he was prudent he would have walked to the hall but he found himself searching for those pale eyes or dark hair on every maid that passed. He shoved his hands into his pockets and licked his lips. What would he do with the girl anyway? She was the parargon of innocence, or so she seemed. Was it her innocence that drew him to her or her unusal eyes? Hinata was exactly tall nor was she some fair beauty. He found those features attractive. He licked his lips again. He would wash his face in the basin that stood in his room, grab his things and leave the palace. Just for a walk or if he found a girl he was interested in perhaps he would bed her. Tonight, he thought, not before the lunch. He groaned when he remembered there was a ride before lunch.

On the floor of his room was the maid that he had run into earlier. She wasn't the one who had helped him up this morning, he was fairly certain she was new. Hinata was on her knees with a brush scrubbing the floors of his room. He noticed that his bed was made and a faint lemon scent could be smelt. It was that and the smell of lavender. It was faint but noticeable. He has smelt it earlier in the hall when he had met her. It was like she usually laced her hair with the purple petaled flowers, so much so that they had left their scent in her skin.

The door had made a sound when it had opened and Hinata found herself staring once again into those dark brown eyes. This was the second time and she was sure there would be complaints. This time when she lowered her eyes she spoke.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice was soft and sweet. He felt the familiar feeling of lust. He back was to him before she turned and he had gotten a good view of her backside. Sasuke licked his lips.

"You were only cleaning. Carry on."

Hinata glanced at him. It was clear that she was surprised by his reaction. In her mind he was a nice person, he had not punished her for being in his way, twice.

"Thank you my Lord."

"Call me Sasuke."

He wanted her to say his name but Hinata remained silent. Instead she began to pack up her things. The room was clean and she was just scrubbing a stain on the carpet, she could always return later.

"You! I told you not to do this while he was in!"

Hinata and Sasuke both turned their attention to the doorway. The head maid had her hands on her hips and she looked absolutely livid. Hinata paled and she felt her airways start to close up. The woman apologized to Sasuke profusely. Hinata gathered her things and scurried out of the room. The prince watched her leave completely ignoring the older woman.

"Don't punish her, I would like her to warm my bed someday." He said to her while she was apologizing. The woman simply nodded.

For the rest of the day Hinata was instructed to work in the servants quarters. She cleaned the servants passages as well feeling embarrassed that she had not used them on her first day. It was after the King had finished dinner that the maids were allowed to leave. The dining hall would probably be a mess the next day but the mess would not be as much seeing as how he only had a few people present. Hinata arrived home when the night was almost pitch black. Her sister was the one who met her at the door. Hanabi chatted excitedly to Hinata about various things involving her day. Despite being extremely tired Hanabi had her full attention. It was when she saw the plate of food on the table in the corner of the room did she remember that she had not eaten that day. The hunger pangs had faded and she had been immersed in her work. She sat at the table that they used to eat and began to eat the contents in the most unladylike manner.

Their house was rather small and it did not have a lot of furniture. She shared a room with Hanabi and her father slept on the floor in the sitting room. They did not own a sofa or a television nor did the bed she shared with Hanabi have a bed frame. It was a thin mattress placed on the floor, there was not much else in the room. Hinata however longed to crawl under their sheets and let sleep take her away. The fatigue she felt was also on an emotional level. Once her stomach was full she finally began to pay attention to her surroundings. Hanabi sat on a stool in fron of her.

"You must have been very hungry." Her sister said.

"Sorry," Hinata said, her cheeks had coloured red. She was not aware of how mannerless she must have seemed while she ate.

"It's okay, so how was your day?"

"I'm so tried," said Hinata. "I think I might turn in." She stood up and made for the room. She stopped at the doorway. "Where's papa?"

"I told you he was worried about you." Hanabi didn't get to finish because her father's grey head poked into the house. As soon as he saw her he engulfed her in a hug.

"It was so late."

Hinata nodded. "I'm sorry papa, it seems there's a lot of work to be done in the palace. I should have sent someone however."

"At least your home now."

She nodded again. "I'm tired."

Hiashi released her. "You should get some sleep then. I will be gone when you get back from the palace," he added.

Hinata looked from her father to Hanabi who was just watching them, and then back to Hiashi. "I think there is a good market for my work in the next kingdom, I need to exploit it if possible."

Hinata shook her head, "You can't just leave, what about the farm?" Her father was a farmer. He usually farmed wheat as it had a good market in the village. His passion was not to farm but to create, often times he would stay up all night sculpting, or carving. Hiashi didn't draw much but he did when his daughters asked him to. He sighed.

"I want a chance to pursue my dreams." The way he looked at her, she couldn't tell if he was happy a the prospect of being able to follow his dreams or sad that she didn't simply jump for joy. Hinata was of course happy for him, she wanted him to follow his dreams, but there was Hanabi. Her sister would be home alone and if her father was met with adversity on his way they would be fatherless. Her eyes welled with tears at the prospect of her father's death. Her chest tightened and she lowered her gaze unable to meet his stare head on. "Only for two days." She heard him say.

Hinata nodded, frankly she was too tired to deal with this. He was pleading with her ever though he had the right to simply leave. It was only two days, she thought to herself, he'll be back. She glanced over at Hanabi who had been quiet while they spoke.

"Please be safe," she said before slipping into their room.

Later that night she felt Hanabi slip into bed beside her. Despite her fatigue Hinata found she could not fall asleep like she had hoped. She felt herself drifting in and out of sleep.

"I want to be selfish and tell him to stay," she heard Hanabi whisper behind her. "I know he hates me for killing mama." Her sister couldn't seem to finish her sentence.

Hinata turned and held her sister against her as tightly as she could without making her uncomfortable.

"Papa loves us," she whipered with her lips on her sisters hair. "He just wants to be happy, like before mama died. You didn't kill her, it was just… her time."

"Then why was it her time when I was born? Why were you just the perfect child? And you still are."

Hinata felt the front of her dress dampen as her sister continued to cry. She felt her own throat begin to close up. After swallowing hard Hinata continued to console her sister. "I'm not the perfect child. I love you and if I didn't I would not want to work so hard to give you everything you wanted."

Hinata ensured that Hanabi didn't want for anything. A better life would have been good but Hanabi was also and angel, even when she was a baby. It was only what she thought her family could afford that she asked for. Their father always endured they had clothes and even a heater in the house for winter. They had cloaks and boots made with sheep skin. Hinata would realize that these little things had most likely cost him a fortune and she appreciated him all the more. It was now her turn to look after Hanabi as well as they had been when they were children. Hinata rocked them back and forth making soothing sounds, it wasn't long before she too fell asleep.

"You're going to be late," The person had been saying some other things but those were the words that chose to slip through her consciousness. Slowly, Hinata pulled her self into a sitting position, her things and back were sore and her knees felt like someone had poured pepper on them.

"You're going to be late," Hanabi repeated. Hinata looked up at her and smiled.

"Good morning."

Hanabi smiled back. "Neji came after papa left this morning."

Hinata finally stood up and began to replace her night dress with the uniform they were supposed to wear.

When they saw each other neither hesitated to sweep the other in an embrace. "It's been a while _nii-san."_

Neji smiled down at her. "I've been busy, I'm to be married soon you know."

Hinata nodded. "I heard, when do I get to meet my other sister."

Neji laughed, "Soon."

"Well I hope it's very soon."

Neji was the son of her father's brother and that made them cousins, to Hinata he would always be her big brother. He had lost his father at a young age and stayed with them until he was old enough to buy a house on a nearby land. Neji worked hard and the two girls hardly saw him. Their aunt, his mother was a sick old woman who didn't do much but nag, no one confronted her on it and they suspected that she was simply mourning her husband in this way. Neji worked to provide for both of them. His mother had passed away last year and now they were the only family he had left. Neji always blamed himself for both of his parent's deaths, it was after he was born that they began to quarrel, every one in the village had commented that made the perfect couple and perhaps having a child was not the way to go. Unwilling to test that theory his parents were reluctant to have another child and thus Neji became an only child, he was glad for his cousins because without them there wouldn't really be anyone to celebrate with him at his wedding.

"I have to go now," Hinata said, walking to the door. Their father had asked Neji to stay with them for a little, two days was the agreed time and that was definitely do-able and in fact he felt like he needed to take a break from working on the farm.

"I'll see you tonight then Neji." She added before stalking off. On her way she stopped to pick up the lovely lavender that grew on the path to the palace.


End file.
